Zelmo Beaty : biography

October 25, 1939 -

Zelmo "Big Z" Beaty (born October 25, 1939, in Hillister, Texas) is a former American basketball player.

A 6'9" center from Prairie View A&M, Beaty was selected with the third pick of the 1962 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft by the St. Louis Hawks. Beaty was named to the inaugural NBA All-Rookie Team in 1963, and played a total of seven seasons with the Hawks. He made two NBA All-Star Game appearances in 1966 and 1968 before leaving the NBA to play in the rival American Basketball Association (ABA). Beaty led the Utah Stars to the 1971 ABA title, then played three more seasons with the Stars before returning to the NBA as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. He retired in 1975 with combined ABA/NBA totals of 15,207 points and 9,665 rebounds. He briefly served as a coach for the ABA's Virginia Squires.